Fox Mate (Madison Wolves) (25 page)

"I wouldn't struggle anymore, unless you don't mind being dropped," Angel said. "I promise, it wouldn't be on purpose."

I went limp immediately, and, all of us giggling, they carried me from the house.

They made a point of spinning around in circles several times, and I swear they took me the long way to where ever we were going, but eventually we stepped into another building. I immedia
tely heard multiple other heartbeats. They lowered me to my feet and held me steady in one place.

Then the blindfold was removed, and I was staring at Lara at the other end of the room. We were in our own living room. She had just had her own blindfold removed. She looked worn out but whole.

"Hello, Love," I said.

"Hello, Little Fox. Are you well?"

"I am. And you?"

"I am as well."

Angel and Elisabeth looked at each other for a moment, then Angel nodded. "Alpha. We have brought your mate. You have agreed to certain terms. Will you honor your agreement?"

"I will," said Lara.

I looked around the room. The enforcers that had held Lara were there as was Hadley Smith. I was surprised to see her. She passed a packet of papers to Angel. Angel opened the packet and began reading through them. It took her several minutes. Finally she said, "Yes, everything is in order." She returned the packet to Hadley. Hadley crossed to Lara's side of the room. One by one, she presented the papers for Lara to read. She glanced at each and nodded. Lara was led to the table where she was allowed to sit down. With both hands still bound, she signed the papers where Hadley indicated. She finished, and Hadley separated the papers into two stacks, one stack smaller than the other. From her briefcase she removed another manila folder and put the small stack of papers in that folder. Then she put several sheets of paper from the larger stack into envelopes. Finally, she slid the first folder to the place in front of Lara and passed out the remaining papers to my kidnappers.

They all began to grin wildly.

Lara was pulled out of her seat and away from the table.

"Release my mate," Lara said with a growl.

"Not quite yet," Angel said. "She made promises to us that must be fulfilled before we will release her." They helped me to the table and sat me down. Hadley presented me with a set of money transfers to sign as well as notes covering the other promises I had made. I glanced through them then signed everywhere she told me to sign.

"Cut her ropes," Angel said. They didn't cut them. Scarlett untied my feet. Sophia untied my hands. And then Angel said, "You are free, Michaela."

I immediately jumped to my feet and began to run to Lara, but Elisabeth intercepted me. "Not so fast. We have business as well."

Hadley gave a folder to Elisabeth. She read through it, taking several minutes, then nodded. "This is as agreed."

Hadley led me to the table to sit down, and she sat beside me.

"I understand you weren't expecting any of this," she said very quietly.

"No."

"You gave up your house."

"Yes."

Hadley went through the papers. The first were to sign over the deed to my house. I reached for the pen, but she stopped me. "Not yet." Then she showed me the remaining papers. "These are all the same, just with different names. They are the favors you promised. You can read them all, but they are the same."

I read the first one. It was simple. I scanned the rest.

"You need to understand, these are not transferrable. The people who have these will present them and tell you what they want. They may h
old them for a very long time. Favors like this can become more valuable as you become wealthy or more politically powerful. I guarantee you no one is going to present one prior to tomorrow's wedding."

I smiled weakly
.

"They should ask for a medium favor, per pack custom. Elisabeth said she explained."

"She did."

"If you feel the favor asked is significantly outside the purview of a medium favor, you may deny the request. The person asking may agree and alter the request. You are certainly allowed to negotiate the favor
in a manner that best serves both of you. In the case of disputes, normally appeal is to the alpha. Due to your relationship, appeal instead will be to the full council. It is considered exceedingly bad form for them to be drawn into these types of things. I would strongly encourage you to solicit my advice, Lara's, Elisabeth's, or that of any member of the council before you deny these favors. It is also bad form to submit the favor in a fashion that doesn't allow you a chance to seek counsel unless the request offered is so clearly reasonable there can be no dispute."

"Thank you, Hadley. Do I start signing?"

"Yes, if you agree everything is in order."

"It is." I began signing, the favors first, then the deed to my house. I stared at that one for a minute before signing it
.

"This has been quite a lot for you to absorb," Hadley said quietly. "I hea
rd a few of the details. You can be proud."

"No," I said. "Lara can. I was treated softly."

"Still, you were perhaps treated in a fashion you never expected."

"Yes."

"And you gave up something important to you."

"Yes."

"Thank you for honoring pack traditions, Michaela. I am proud to have you marrying my alpha, and I am proud to have you teaching my daughter."

I looked into her eyes, and I thought perhaps her words were heartfelt.

Then we stood up, and she gave the packet of materials to Elisabeth. Elisabeth glanced through, passed out the favors to June, Gia, Karen, and Serena, keeping hers.

"I have paid the ransom," I said. "Free my mate."

"As soon as she completes her final obligations to us," Elisabeth said. I was pulled away from the table, Lara returned to the table, and I watched her sign a set of money transfers similar to the ones I had. I bet hers were bigger than mine had been.

Elisabeth smiled. "
Free her."

The enforcers untied Lara's hands and ankles, and then we were in each other's arms. She picked me up and said, "Start the party without us. We'll be down when we're ready."

I shrieked as she carried me up the stairs.

* * * *

As soon as the door closed behind us, Lara set me on the bed and began searching my body, making sure I was whole.

"I am fine, Lara. The only real damage, beyond my pride, is two tiny locks of hair. You can feel." I guided her fingers. "There are other changes, but you absolutely are not allowed to look for them right now.

"What changes?" she asked with a growl.

"You will see the next time I allow you to remove my clothes. That may not be soon."

"Little Fox?"

"You should have told me!" I said. "And I should have been wearing pajamas last night."

"I'm sorry," she said immediately, looking down. "Michaela, I'm so sorry. I forgot. Can you believe it? I entirely forgot until I smelled Elisabeth in the doorway. Little girl wolves grow up thinking about this; it's part of the wedding tradition. When I finally realized I would never have a groom, I stopped thinking about it. It just never occurred to me I would have a bride to ransom. It should have. I'm sorry."

"Had
Elisabeth talked to you?"

"No, no one did. I didn't have a clue."

I thought about what she had said. "I will consider forgiving you."

Lara pulled me to the bed. I resisted at first. "Please, I need to hold you, Michaela. You can be mad at me if you want, but I need to hold you."

I let her pull me to the bed, not saying anything. We lay together quietly for fifteen or twenty minutes, Lara caressing me gently.

"Did they hurt you?"
I asked her.

"Michaela," Lara said. "Did they send you a single video of what they did?"

"No."

"When we talked, did I sound upset?"

"No."

"All right. I made them vow to never tell you. And I am never going to tell you. Everyone there loves me. You must accept this. I want you to never, ever ask again."

I paused three heartbeats before responding. "All right, Lara. I won't ask anyone again. Will I be asked to partake in this ritual in the future?"

"If you are a maid of honor, you are expected to lead it."

"Will I be able to stomach it?"

"You will plan it better than anyone else," she said. "And then you may need to leave from time to time. And if I am the maid of honor, I will ask you to help plan, but when I ask you to leave the room, you must leave."

"All right," I said.

She squeezed me, kissed me, and asked if I was ready to join the party.
But instead I started crying.

"Oh honey," she said.

"I'm sorry I didn't last longer," I said, crying quietly.

"Oh honey. You honored the tradition, and that's all that matters."

I cuddled into her, crying onto her chest. She caressed me gently saying over and over, "I love you," and "I am so proud of you," and finally, "thank you".

I cried myself out again and apologized. "I'm overly emotional," I admitted.

"I don't blame you," she said. "The rest of us have years to get excited about this. And you had it sprung on you without even understanding, and you're a fox. I can't imagine you understand emotionally, even if you do intellectually."

"No."

"Are you ready to go downstairs? They're waiting for us."

"I want to show you something first."
I wriggled around, lowering my jeans enough to free one cheek, then I crawled across her so she could see the tattoo.

Lara touched my bottom, and when I looked over my sh
oulder at her, she looked happy. Then she began to laugh, placed me on the pillows, and lowered her own jeans, shifting so I could see.

Prominently on her butt was a tattoo that was clearly a red fox.

I bent down and kissed it, laughed, and said, "Now I'm ready for the party."

The pre-wedding party ran very late.
I was asked throughout the night if I was okay, and I told them each I was. I wondered if I was lying; I felt raw and vulnerable. But there was little to be done about it. All the adults living in the compound joined us, the young kids having been left with a baby-sitter.

I had purchased a maid-of-
honor present for Angel. I found Francesca and asked her about it.

"Oh no," she said. "Angel is well gifted. Save it for her birthday or Christmas."

"Hell no," I said. "It's expensive. She is now worth far more than I am. I'm returning it and buying her a five dollar gift card for someplace cheap and horrible."

Francesca laughed and then asked me if I were okay.

"Everyone is asking that. I guess I need to go fix the impressions."

I stood up, moved to the center of the room, and said loudly while pointing at Angel. "You!"

The room grew still.

"Me?" Angel said.

"Yes, you. Get over here."

She climbed off the sofa,
disentangling herself from Scarlett.

"You kidnapped me last night," I said firmly. "You knew I didn't understand. You knew I wasn't prepared. You didn't warn me. None of you warned me. While you made sure I wasn't truly physically damaged, if I had known the full custom, I absolutely positively guarantee you wouldn't have caught me."

"Michaela?" she said in a quiet voice. "I thought we were okay."

"Admit it!" I said. "No one in this room told me what I should have known until I had no choice but to go along.
And while you asked Lara if she gave permission, no one asked me. Angel, as my maid of honor, it was your responsibility to make sure I knew any customs I am supposed to know."

"You wouldn't have let us do it?" she asked in a small voice.

"I didn't say that," I said. "I would have played to win from the beginning. I went along because I didn't know what was at stake."

"You didn't go along," she said. "You did your best to escape."

"I did escape," I said. I pointed to Elisabeth. "She cheated and interfered. I got away from my kidnappers, and if I had been informed of the custom, I would not have been in the same room with the alpha's kidnappers. By all rights, I should be allowed to cut all your hair."

Then I pointed at Gia. "And that one wasn't assigned to me, either. She was part of Lara's contingent. But she is the one who caught me in the end, after I had gotten away from the rest of you. I submit I should be allowed to cut all your hair. Twice."

"She was waiting for you," Angel said. "She couldn't have stopped Lara."

"I believe the tradition is for my sisters, cousins, and closest friends to kidnap me. Is that correct?"

No one answered. I looked at Gia. "Is that correct?"

"Yes," she said.

"And my payment for a favor was to consider you a friend?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"So even you admit we weren't friends at the point you threw a net over me? And I don't think anyone in the room is going to argue we're sisters or cousins."

There were mild chuckles at that.

"I submit I got free not once, but twice, and the only reason you caught me either time was due to outside interference." I looked straight into Angel's eyes. "I get to cut your hair."

I laughed.
It wasn't necessarily a nice laugh. "Furthermore, Angel, I keep two silvered daggers under my pillow and two more in my nightstand. I did not use them. If I had fully understood the custom, I had more choices available to me."

She blanched.

"I did not shift."

"That would be cheating," she said.

"Do you think that's more cheating than leaving me ignorant?"

She had nothing to say to that.

"Using my knives or shifting would have been playing to win. Given the clear disadvantage I have against so many wolves, I do not consider either of those choices as cheating in a situation like last night."

She looked into my eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted." I grinned and pulled her into a hug. "I love you, Angel."

"Oh my god," she said into my ear. "I thought you were really angry."

"Everyone needed to see this hug and know it was meant," I told her.

The room filled with sounds of approval. I released Angel and said, "However!" in a loud, firm voice.

Immediately everyone grew still. My temper, after all, was becoming well-known.

"Does anyone dispute my claim that I escaped?"

Elisabeth stepped forward. "When I caught you, you were heading to the bathroom."

"Yes," I said. "I know from past experience with Lara that with the head start I had, I could get the door slammed and locked before any of them caught me."

"Then you would have been cornered, and they would have broken down the door," Elisabeth said.

"You all may have noticed Lara and I are sometimes rather playful." There were chuckles at that. "I got tired of Lara having such an easy time breaking down that door. I
made her put in an especially sturdy door and lock. They would have broken it down, but I am sure it would have taken a good half minute or more. I only needed a ten second lead."

"To do what?" she asked.

"Out the window, dangle carefully, and drop to the ground. Shift to fox, then run into the woods. Does anyone here think they could catch me after that?"

I looked around. "No," Scarlett said. "We couldn't have caught you."

"I got away from all six of you," I said. "And was stopped by Gia. I claim interference from Elisabeth, interference from Gia, and I get to cut your hair. I also believe I should be allowed to cut the hair of the two who interfered."

Elisabeth sighed. "I will admit I interfered. The fox would easily have made it to the bathroom with a significant head start. And I know that door and lock. I don't believe it would take them thi
rty seconds, but I believe she would have made it to the ground."

She turned to me. "Would you have broken your leg?"

"No," I said. "Do I need to demonstrate?"

"No," Lara said. "You do not."

I looked at Gia. "I was there for you, Michaela," she said. "But I admit I shouldn't have been. I admit to interfering."

I turned to face Angel. "You really want to cut our hair?" she asked in a small voice.

"I believe that is the tradition. Do you wish to dispute my claim? I believe Hadley Smith would serve as an impartial judge." I turned to her. "Although your daughter is involved."

"I would be impartial," she said.

My kidnappers turned to a huddle, pulling Elisabeth and Gia in as well. I listened in as they agreed I had a valid argument. Two valid arguments. Elisabeth and Gia were both good scouts about it. As a group, they broke the huddle and turned to me.

"You may cut our hair," Angel said.

"Excellent!" I said. "All of you take chairs in a row, and close your eyes." Chairs were retrieved from the dining room and set up in a row, my kidnappers, Gia and Elisabeth each taking a seat. I stood in front of them. "Angel, if I had laid there passively and allowed you to take me without a struggle, how short would you have cut my hair?"

"Oh god," she said.

"Tell the truth," Elisabeth said. "Or I will."

"We would have shaved you bald," Angel said. "If you hadn't struggled at all."

"If I had surrendered when Scarlet caught me?"

"If you had surrendered? Short. Not bald, but short. Pixie cut."

"And," I asked. "What would be a normal cut for all of you if I had escaped?"

"Pixie cut," Angel said.

"And given that I escaped twice?"

"Oh god," Angel said. "I don't know."

Elisabeth looked at me. "Shaved."

"I need scissors and the clippers they threatened me with," I said. They were still al
l in the car we had used, and I waited while Ava climbed out of her chair to retrieve them for me. By the time they were back, I had rearranged everyone, leaving Ava the first chair. I put Chloe at the opposite end with Gia, Elisabeth and finally Angel immediately in front of her.

I walked to Lara and whispered to her. "I don't want to torture Chloe, but I don't think she'll stay quiet if she watches what I do, either. Handle it." Lara didn't know what I intended, but she nodded.

"Sit," I told Ava. "Everyone close your eyes. If any of you peek, I will be very unhappy, and you will not like the results. Do I make myself clear?"

They nodded.

"Anyone who utters a word during this will regret it."

They nodded.

I checked to make sure they all had their eyes closed. I crossed to Ava and whispered into her ear. "I believe you will cry if I shave your head, won't you?"

She nodded.

"Then make this convincing, or I'll be forced to really shave you."

Then I spoke up loudly enough for everyone. "I'll cut first, then use the clippers." I studied
Ava then used the scissors to even up her hair a little bit, taking a little off the back, dropping the pieces into her lap.

"Oh god," she said. I smiled. Everyone else was silent.

I made a lot of noise with the scissors, and I noticed my audience was smiling at me. I barely touched Ava's hair, cutting only a symbolic amount. Then I whispered in her ear, "I am going to take a small trophy, just like you did." She nodded, and I took a lock of hair from the back. Hadley stepped forward and took it from me, sliding it into an envelope for me, already labeled with Ava's name. I smiled thanks to her.

"Now the clippers." I made a lot of noise with the clippers, running it along Ava's bare arms so it would sound like it was running over bare skin. Ava began crying convincingly for me. I kissed her eyelids and whispered for her to open her eyes. She looked at me and smiled, then mouthed, "Thank you," to me. I nodded.

I glanced over. Lara had moved next to Chloe and was whispering very quietly into her ear. Chloe began to cry. It wasn't very convincing, but Lara pulled her into her arms and said, "I'm going to calm Chloe down before her cut." Lara carried Chloe to one of the recliners and sat down, positioning Chloe so she could watch everyone else, then she whispered some more before gently putting her hand over Chloe's mouth. Lara whispered again and Chloe opened her eyes. They grew wide when she saw what I was doing, and after that, I was able to ignore them both.

Sophia was next. I whispered to her, "You may
make small sounds of surprise, but do not give this away." Then I treated her hair just like I had Ava's, taking a small lock of hers as well. She grunted a couple of times while I was using the clippers, but was otherwise quiet, smiling.

Abigail was next, then I got to Scarlett. Scarlett actually needed a cut
. I whispered to her, then took my trophy.

Then I eyed her hair. I didn't think I could give a proper cut. I trimmed it all over, actually cutting with the scissors, not just making noises, but it looked worse when I got done. I frowned. Then Francesca stepped forward and took the scissors from me. She worked at Scarlett, then cleaned up with the clippers for me. It looked better when she was done. I bent and spoke in Scarlett's ear. "Don't let me cut your hair again. Francesca touched it up, but if you get a chance in the morning, someone else can clean it up for you."

She nodded.

"Here," I said. "Let's just give some of these trimmings to Angel." I picked up everything we'd cut from Scarlett and dropped it all in Angel's lap.

Everyone in the room was grinning.

Gia was next.
"Gia, your hair is already short. I think we can go straight to the clippers." Then I whispered in her ear.

She sat stoically, which couldn't have been hard, as I wasn't touching her. She opened her eyes and offered a confused look. I smiled at her and looked at the other women. She glanced over, and the look she gave me warmed my heart. I had surprised her. Good.

Next up was Elisabeth. I took my trophy then considered what to do.

"You were the first to interfere, Elisabeth," I said.

"It was an automatic reaction," she said. "It never occurred you could have gotten past all of us."

"Oh please," I said. "I lead you all on a merry chase all the time."

"I know. We should have told you that if you got free, you should meet us at the cars. I bet you would have hid from us."

"So getting free doesn't get me out of ransom night?"

"No," she said. "Or at least, very few brides would take that option."

I laughed. "I would have hid. You wouldn't have found me until tomorrow."

I was sorely tempted to shave Elisabeth. She had taken my house, and I wanted paybacks. But it wouldn't have been gracious.I whispered to her, "You may thank me later, do not give this away." Then I did a fake cut like I had for everyone else, although I took my trophy of her short hair.